Bill Virgin – Author, Speaker, Columnist, Pastor

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I have a hard time finding the appropriate words to describe how grateful I am of my mother and the mother of my children. These two women have done more for me in my life than anyone else other than my Savior who is the one who has graciously given them to me in the first place. As I reminisce of their impact over the years I truly understand that I will most definitely fall short of properly honoring them. In A Little Spoonful of Chicken Soup for the Mother’s Soul, Marion C. Garretty is quoted saying,“A Mother’s love is the fuel that enables a normal human being to do the impossible”.

In Prov 31:29-30 we read a King’s mother sharing her wisdom to the King and brings honor to the women who has shaped him as well as us. We read, “There are many fine women in the world, but you are the best of them all!” Charm can be deceptive and beauty doesn’t last, but a woman who fears and reverences God shall be greatly praised.(NLT)

I want to say I acknowledge that my wife and mother of our children, as well as, my mother are great gifts from God and I can only hope to live a life that brings them the honor that they deserve. I remember some of the attributes that I saw in my wife when we first met and began a friendship, it was a deep love that seemed to ooze from her for God and His word. We began our relationship by going on outreaches together where we

I Stand in Awe as I think How Much of a Blessing Mothers Are to Us!

would have to spend time fasting and praying with the team. It was during these times of seeing her great reverence for the Lord that I saw her beauty inside and out. And let me say she was a knock out beauty on the outside, but the inside beauty was the substance that raised our children to live Godly lives and help countless other people that were in need along the journey. I remember many nights of her going and holding the hand of different ones that were dying or sitting and interceding with so many others whom were tormented and abused in their darkest hours before their healing came.

I so agree with what President Abraham Lincoln believed and said about his mother, “All that I am or hope to be I owe to my angel mother. I remember my mother’s prayers and they have always followed me. They have clung to me all my life.” I remember often my own mother’s prayers would awaken me in the mornings or they would get my

I am so Glad God gave me a Mother that Reflected Him!

attention as she took her common prayer walks through our ranch property. I chuckle often when I am reminded about the times that her bold prayers for people in restaurants or around town would embarrass me and make me feel uncomfortable. Yet, now I think back on how those prayers must have been so impacting, not only to me but also to many others.

In 1 Sam 25:1-42 we see the unfolding story of Nabal and his wife Abigail, and how her righteous character stood in the gap before David to spare her husband and workers od death, because of Nabal’s foolishness. She risked her own life to protect others.

A mother is one that stands in the gap with intercession and moves with wisdom as she holds together the family in midst of turmoil and shakiness. One person said it best when they said, “No gift to your mother can ever equal her gift to you – life”. We know that no mother is perfect but one thing for sure is her actions and sacrifice deserves to be praised and honored. So join me as we do it this week!

We still chuckle about the times our family would go to reunions and be confronted by that one great aunt that would grab us by the cheek and say, “I remember when you…”. We would cringe in anticipation of what would come out of her mouth next. Usually it was memories that were not so flattering to us and more often they were ammunition for the cousins and siblings to use against us. I think everyone has that one relative in their life that keeps them humble of where they have came from to where they are now.

Throughout scripture we also have stories of different individuals that have started out one way and then ended up another. I am quickly drawn to 2 Sam 23:8-22, where we receive the list of David’s mighty warriors. These guys make of the 007 secret agent look light a boy scout. It’s not a description of just one guy but a list of many of the top warriors that fought for David before and after he was King. There was Shammah, who stood his ground against the fierce enemy to save a small field filled with his harvest. Then there was Adino, who killed 800 of enemy warriors in one battle. Wow, he didn’t have a high power machine gun or even some grenades, this was hand-to-hand combat. Again, continue down the list and come to

Our modern day “Rambo” and “Rocky” have nothing on God’s “action heroes”(tweet)

Benaiah, who it says did many mighty acts, but one of the several that is mentioned is that he jumped in a pit with only a staff in his hand to fight with a renowned enemy warrior killing him with his own spear. These men are just a few of a list of nothing short of “action heroes” of their day. Our modern day “Rambo” and “Rocky” have nothing on them!

The question that comes up many times is “what elite “War Academy” did they graduate from?” It had to be an expensive and well-known training program, don’t you think? But more than likely these great men were apart of the school of Adullam. Which was nothing more than a hole in the ground where David had went to escape from Saul. Reading this account back in 1 Sam 22:1-2 it informs us that when his family and many others heard he was there they came to him. It defines these individuals as “everyone who was in distress, everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented gathered to him”. These were a bunch of mentally anguished, perplexed, spiritually bitter, in debt people! So in other words David was now the leader of four hundred very imperfect misfits. He should be really excited, right! But reading also in 1 Chr. 12:22 it says concerning this same group, “…it was a great army, like the army of God”. I often sarcastically wonder if they are speaking of the same people, because they look like anything but a great army.

God seems to specialize in taking people from their humble beginnings and transforming them into people that do incredible feats for the kingdom of God. Just like these mighty men that most likely started with humble beginnings, you and I can be brought from the valleys of despair into a victorious warrior that fulfill God’s plan. If God waited until any of us was ready to be a leader or only used people that were qualified, He would still be waiting. I encourage you to understand that God will transform each of us along the journey from being disabled people to mighty warriors for His use if continue we yield to Him along our journey of Life.

I know many of you can relate to how I felt when I received my father’s bolt-action single shot 22 cal. rifle. It was the one that my dad grew up with as a boy and used it to hunt small game in the woods of Missouri. It was old and tarnished but now it was mine to have and pass down to my kids. In a sense it wasn’t really mine but was put in to my trust to keep care of and make sure it is given to the next caretaker. Maybe in your case it wasn’t a rifle but maybe a dresser, picture or even a valuable piece of jewelry. But this property or inheritance has been entrusted to you to cherish and love as you steward over it until it’s time to pass it on to the next in line.

The psalmist writes in Ps. 127:3, “Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him.” The word “gift” can be translated property or inheritance that the Lord has given to us. As much as we would like to think having children is totally up to

With out the help of God and a good church, parenting would be a total disaster!(tweet)

us and no one else, the bible says children are a gift from God. In the book of James we are exhorted, don’t be misled…whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God. (James 1:16-17 NLT) So bottom line is that God has given us children to steward over. Wow! What an awesome and humbling responsibility. We will one day all stand before God and give an account of how we steward this gift as well as others that He has given us.

Now lets be honest, even though I went to all the prenatal classes and doctor appointments with my wife. Even painted the new baby’s room and put together all the furniture. I really had no idea what being a parent was all about until that first night we were able to bring her home. After my shocking experience in changing this

Let us be good stewards of His gifts, as we raise our children with His love and statues. (tweet)

cute newborn’s diaper alone with a sleepless night of trying to rock and settle her through the night, revealed to me that I was sinking fast in the realm of parenting. The crash course of parenting 101 in the next couple weeks began to point me in the right direction for the next thirty-some years of parenting.

The truth of the whole subject of parenting in my life, now that it is coming to a close after these many years is, well, I think I am finally figuring it out. With out the help of God and a good church that He puts in your life to help, it would be a total Continue reading →